One Night Stand
by Nelli
Summary: Detective Adam Banks would kill for that promotion. Unfortunately, he doesn't get it. So he picks up a girl in Bud's Tavern. But he doesn't expect what happens next. Told From both Adam and Girl's point of view
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Howdy, y'all!! This is a new story I've just started on. It's okay, but I think it needs a little work. R/R, please.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mighty Ducks. Disney does. If you want money, talk to them. I do, however, own Tammie and Ryan. They are not based on any actual person or fictitious character. I just made them up, so you know. On with the show!!

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The Surprise

"You what?!" I couldn't believe my ears

"Adam, calm down!" My boss, Tammie, looked at me pleadingly.

"Calm down?! You gave my promotion to someone outside the agency." I shook my head in disbelief. "Who is it, some blonde body-building type?"

"You could say that. Ryan Andrews is the best. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, me too." I stormed out of her office and toward the elevator.

"Detective Banks, where are you going?" Ilene, the secretary, asked.

"To the bar. See you tomorrow." I grabbed my coat and left the office.

"I've been with the agency for ten years," I grumbled as I turned up my collar. "I know the procedures in and out. I've even got a Master's in Criminal Justice from Princeton. But, no, I don't get the promotion."

I opened the door to Bud's Tavern, my precinct's hangout. I strolled right up to the bar. I took the stool next to an attractive blonde sipping a beer.

"Hey, Bud." I got the barkeep's attention. "Give me a Miller."

He nodded and slid a longneck bottle across the bar to me. I nodded my thanks and popped the top. 

"Rough day?" The blonde asked, staring at her beer.

"Yeah, and its still morning." I glanced at her, noticing she looked beat. "How 'bout you?"

She glanced sideways at me, smiled weakly, and said, "Rough decade."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as I took a swig of my beer. Then I cleared my throat. "You wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head, long curls flying everywhere. "You don't wanna hear my sob-fest."

I turned to face her, showing her she had my full attention.

"I'd be happy to listen to it." I smiled.

She grinned back. "Okay, but you're next."

"Deal."

She ordered another Heineken and started peeling the label. I just waited patiently.

"Well," she began, "I've been out of high school for 10 years. I went to the University of Rochester in New York, studied 2 majors and minor, getting two worthless Master's and one worthless minor." She looked up at my astonished face and shook her head. "Yeah, I know. I had no life in college." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, after those for years, I transferred to Harvard Law. After three years, I got my law degree and graduated magnum cum laude from the Boston Police Academy. I spent the next 6 months getting another worthless degree and studying self-defense. I was an overachiever. Then I moved to Europe for a year and a half." She sighed and continued. "I met this great guy, who came back to the States with me. For the last year, we've been living together in Boston. Then, I was transferred her, to D.C. and Pierre decided," she choked back a tear. "He decided he couldn't come with me. He's back in Paris as we speak." She chugged her beer and sniffled. "Long story short, I have 4 degrees I can do nothing with, just got dumped, and don't know anybody here." She looked sheepishly at me. "Well, except for you. Your turn."

"Um, okay," I started nervously. "I started with an agency right out of high school. They helped fund my college years at Princeton. My hockey scholarship paid the rest. I got a Master's in Criminal Justice and just last year completed my hours for a Ph.D. in Criminology. Then I found out today I was passed up for a promotion I'd kill for. And it was given to some guy who's a rookie in my corporation." I chugged my beer. "All in all, I'm pretty annoyed."

"Bummer," she said, shaking her head. She finished her beer. Then she threw some bills on the bar. While standing up, she said, "Come on, stranger. I know exactly what we need."

I kind of looked at her, but made no motion to stand. So she just threw a few more bills on the bar and grabbed my hand.

"Come on," she urged, pulling me out the door.

It had started to snow while we were talking. The girl just chattered away as she guided me through the Capital's streets.

"Where are we going?" I asked, not really caring what the answer was. 

"To see the sights." She looked at me mischievously and turned into a shop.

It was a video store. The store was old and dusty. She led me to the back of the shop.

"Whoa!" I said as we entered the back room. I started to turn to leave, but she put up a hand to stop me.

"What? Don't tell me you're scared of a little mature movie collection?" She chuckled.

"Why is it that you seem unfazed by it and yet I'm a nervous wreck?" I asked, swallowing uncomfortably.

"Well, my older brothers had stuff like this all over their room. I'd go in and take them and tattle." She smiled. Then she looked back at me. "Pick one."

"Are you crazy?" I looked at her incredulously. 

"Are you serious?" She raised an eyebrow. "Come on. It's nothing bad."

"Nothing bad?" I said lowly.

"Yeah, it's just porn." She shrugged.

"Let's go." I turned to leave.

"Ohmigod!" She said behind me.

"What, find one you recognized?" I faced her. Her face was lit up in amusement. "What?"

"You've never seen porn!"

"So?" I shrugged uncomfortably. "And you have?"

"Hey, my friends and I used to watch them for sex tips in high school."

My eyebrows went up. "Really?"

"All the time." Then her eyes got wide and she smiled. "I've got an idea. Let's go!"

She grabbed my arm and practically ran out of the store. We walked a few blocks and came to a bookstore.

"Go into the café and wait for me. I'll be there in a second." She ordered me. "Get me a double mochaccino." She ushered me inside and started into the store.

"Okay, that's weird." But I did as she asked- I mean, told me to do. Then I waited.

About 10 minutes later, she came back, shopping bag in hand. "For you," was all she said as she handed it to me.

I carefully opened the bag. Inside were about half a dozen dirty magazines. I looked from her to the bag and back again.

"What's this for?" I whispered, leaning across the table in alarm.

She propped her elbows on the table and leaned in so her face was a quarter of an inch from mine. "Trust me, you need them," she whispered back.

I shook my head and drank my coffee. She was staring at me and biting her lip in thought.

"What?" I asked.

"This is none of my business," she said, setting her coffee down, "but have 

you ever had a girlfriend?"

"No, it's not any of your business." I stared at her across the table. Finally, I said, "No, I haven't."

"You're really attractive and, if you're college story is correct, very intelligent. 

May I inquire as to why you haven't had one?"

For some reason, my pulse quickened when she said that. I calmed myself down, then said, "I've always been too busy for one." She opened her mouth to say something, but I motioned for her to stay quiet. "No, I'm not gay. I was always focused on hockey and school" I ran a hand through my hair.

"Oh." She stared at the table. "I see."

We finished our coffee in silence. We left the café and went outside. It was snowing really hard.

"Hey, it's pretty bad out. My place is only a block away. You can wait the storm out there if you want." I don't know what made me ask that quirky girl to my place, but I did know I really wanted her to say yes.

She smiled at me then looked around. "You know what?" She said finally. When I shook my head, she continued, "That sounds great."

We walked the block to my apartment. I opened the door and ushered her inside. Then I looked down at her (she was about 5'7"; roughly 3 inches shorter than me).

"You know what?" I asked as I led her to the living room and gestured for her to have a seat.

"What?" She asked, sitting on the couch while I started a fire.

"I don't even know your name." I smiled at her and took a seat on the coffee table in front of the place she occupied on the couch. 

"Let's leave it that way, stranger." 

And before I could reply, she leaned in and began to kiss me.

All I could think was 'Wow!'. I mean, a gorgeous, intelligent woman was remotely interested in me. I pulled away and looked into her eyes. They were green with flicks of orange around the pupil.

"What?" She whispered huskily, running a hand through my hair.

"Nothing," I said as I caressed her cheek. It was so soft. "Come on." I stood up and led her through the apartment to the bedroom. 

The room was dark because the blinds were shut. There was just enough light to make out her face.

I put my arms around her and pulled her close. I kissed her for what felt like hours.

When we finally broke apart, I ran a hand over her cheek and played with a tendril of her hair.

She started to slide her blazer off, and slowly it fell to the floor. She looked into my eyes and started to undo the buttons on my dress shirt. She kissed my lips then stood on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear, "This is exactly what we need."

I chuckled and looked down at her shirt; a regular white T-shirt. I pulled it up and over her head, watching her curls fall onto her shoulders.

She threw my shirt over her shoulder and kissed me again. I ran my hands 

up and down her arms and back.

A few minutes later, amid more kissing, caressing, and her sighing, we were standing there, naked. She grinned devilishly. She climbed onto my bed, got under the sheets, and, with one finger, beckoned me to follow. I climbed next to her.

"Just relax, okay? The first time is a little weird, but it'll be okay." She pulled me close and kept kissing me.

Gradually I went from being beside her to on top of her, and then inside her.

I started to sweat. She kept moaning. I tried to stay focused, but no dice.

I got high off of the power of dominating her. I couldn't stop myself. I went deeper. She opened her eyes and stared right into mine. In that instant, I became totally empowered and a second later, I was tired and her eyes closed in ecstasy. 

"Wow." I rolled over and looked at the clock. It read 11:30 PM. I looked down at her, snuggling into me. "Hey," I whispered, moving the hair out of her face.

"Hmm?" She didn't even look up or open her eyes.

"You hungry?"

"No." She shook her head.

I got up to go to the kitchen.

"Don't forget to throw the condom away," she said.

I freaked. I hadn't put on a condom. "UH?" I asked like I hadn't heard her.

"I put a condom on you earlier. Don't forget to toss it." And then she was asleep.

I breathed a sigh of relief and looked down. There is it was. I laughed as I took it and threw it out into the trashcan.

BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ 

I rolled over and looked at the clock. 7:30.

"Crap!" I shot out of bed. "I've got 30 minutes to get ready and get to work."

I grabbed some clothes and raced to the adjoining bathroom. I turned on the shower, then feeling confused, went back into the bedroom. The bed was empty. In her place was a piece of paper.

I left the shower to warm up as I read what she'd written.

"'Hey, Stranger! I had a really nice time yesterday. Maybe we could do it again sometime. Signed, ME.' Great! Let's do it again sometime. Oh, wait! I don't know your name, number, anything!"

I crumpled up the note and threw it away. Then I got ready for the first day in my personal hell.

****

A/N: Well? How's the first chapter? I started the 2nd one, but until I finish sorting out some details, it's gonna have to wait! Lata! ~NELLI~


	2. Nice To Meet You

A/N: This story is coming together rather slowly. I will not, however, abandon it. I will see it through to the end!! Bwahaha. Anywhosies, here is chapter two.

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Chapter Two: Nice to Meet You.

"Thank you, Mrs. Burkley, so much for the job." I stood up and shook my superior's hand.

"Please, call me Tammie, Detective Andrews." She smiled, shaking my hand.

"Only if you call me Ryan," I joked back, tossing my blonde curls.

"Alright. Let me show you to your office, Ryan."

She led me down the hall to a big office. Inside were all my personal belongings, all ready for me.

"Looks great! Thank you." I grinned at her. "And thank you for this opportunity."

"Oh, don't mention it." She waved my thanks away. She turned to leave then faced me again. "One more thing. Detective Adam Banks might bear you some ill will. He really wanted this job."

"Oh, alright. Maybe I should meet him as soon as he gets in?"

"Great idea! I'll bring him straight here!" 

With that, she left me. I closed my office door and sat down at my new desk. I got the files I wanted to discuss with Detective Banks, then looked at the corner of my desk. There sat a picture of my ex-boyfriend. I picked it up and gently caressed the glass. 

"Oh, Pierre." I sniffed but held my tears at bay. "Oh, well. C'est la vie." I put the picture in the bottom drawer.

Then I saw those cool, electrifying blue eyes. My mystery man. It wasn't a big deal, a one-night stand, really.

I propped my elbows on my desk and leaned into my hands so they framed my face. He was attractive… and smart. I smiled as I thought about the night before. It had been his first time, yet he was so confident and sure. I sighed.

"Pull yourself together, Ryan," I said quietly. "You only did that for a pick-me-up…for both of you."

Yet I couldn't get him out of my mind. I wish I'd gotten his name or at least paid attention to where he lived.

The voice outside my office door brought me to.

"Detective Andrews wants to meet you and make sure there are no hard feelings." Tammie knocked on my door.

"Come in." I stood up and smoothed my skirt.

"Hello again!" Tammie said cheerfully. "Detective Ryan Andrews, meet Detective Adam Banks." 

A young man about my age stepped into the room.

I blinked as he entered, seeing as the light from the main area was brighter than that of my office. I held out my hand to him. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Ditto," the familiar voice said.

I blinked a couple times to get accustomed to the light. Then I gasped. It was my mystery man.

"I'll let you two get better acquainted." Tammie shut the door behind her.

"You! Oh, no!" I returned to my seat.

"Nice to see you again, too. This isn't exactly what I expected either, Ryan," he hissed bitterly.

"Detective Andrews, if you please." I shot him a filthy look.

"Sorry, Detective Andrews," he drawled. "Loved the note, by the way. Maybe we should have gotten names, then we could've carpooled."

"Are you finished?" I asked, annoyed.

"So, now that you got what you wanted, it's all business? That's not a fun relationship, Andrews." He sat down on the corner of my desk nearest to me.

"What relationship? I bought you porn, we had sex. Big deal." I rubbed my temples to ease the tension.

"Speaking of your 'gift' to me, I found the girls very—enchanting." He walked behind my chair, put his arms around it, and whispered into my ear. "But none of them hold a candle to you." He ran a finger down my cheek and turned my head towards him. "How can the one person I hate the most in the whole world be the one I find to be the most beautiful?"

He tried to kiss me, but I stood up and put the desk between us. "Enough, Banks. We've got to get started. On work," I quickly added when he raised his eyebrows up and down.

"Pray, tell, Detective Andrews. Please let us begin." He moved to the seat in front of my desk as I moved in the same direction to the one behind it.

"All right," I began, handing him a file. "National Hockey star, Charles Conway, wants us to put up security around his home and get him a security guard as soon as possible."

"What's the deal? Why's he need the security?" He looked so cute when he focused.

I snapped out of that thought quickly. "Supposedly, Mr. Conway has a stalker." I handed Banks a pile of letters. "Each of these was sent by the same person, all of them demanding the same thing…Conway."

He examined the letters. "Have you sent these to the lab for-"

"Analysis? Yes, and they came back as inconclusive. No finger prints, no DNA. The envelopes weren't licked closed. They were glued closed."

"Okay, so how will a few of our men help? I mean, obviously this person wants Conway, but why us?"

"Apparently, he heard it was a good agency." I shrugged and crossed my legs, leaning back in my chair. "He trusts us."

"Detective Andrews?" Ilene was calling me on the intercom. "Charles Conway is here to see you."

"Send him in, Ilene."

Banks and I stood up and watched the hockey player enter the room.

"Mr. Conway, I'm Detective Ryan Andrews." I shook his head. "This is my co-worker, Detective Adam Banks."

Charles turned to Banks and grinned. "Hey, Banksy. What's shaking?" He gave Banks a warm hug.

"Hey, Charlie. Nothing really. You?" Banks shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, I'm being stalked, but other than that, nothing."

We all sat down. I looked back and forth between the two young men as they talked. "You two know each other?" I interrupted.

"Yeah," Charlie answered. "We used to play hockey together."

"Oh, well then, I guess we found your guard, Mr. Conway. That was really all I needed to speak to you about." I stood up and held out my hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Thank you, Detective Andrews. See ya, Banksy." Then Conway left.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Banks looked at me in bewilderment.

"He knew you. He trusts you. What am I supposed to do?" I looked at him.

"I spent the last ten years running from that kid. Why couldn't you have interviewed another agent to deal with him?" Adam collapsed into his chair and rubbed his forehead.

"What?" I looked at him in angry confusion. "Why would you run from Charles Conway?"

"Charlie had a major crush on me in high school. I went to my second choice college just to get away from him." Banks sighed. Then he looked at me, brightening slightly. "You called me your co-worker. Why not 'my employee' or something like that?"

I felt myself turn red as I circled the desk and leaned on the bit in front of him. "Because you don't work _for_ me, you work _with_ me."

"No, I work _under_ you." He stood up and put his arms around me. "Or, I'd like to."

"Very funny, Banks." I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let me go. "Come on, knock it off." 

"Or what?" he asked, teasingly, letting his hands roam freely over my legs.

"Banks, as your superior officer, I demand that you leave me alone!" 

I reached back to slap him, but he grabbed it.

"Ah, ah, ah. That's not nice." He kissed my palm, sending shivers down my spine. "And as for you being my superior, then you should have been on top last night."

"You are so juvenile. Get off me!" This time I succeeded in pushing him away. 

He looked me up and down. "You like it. You know you do. I'll prove it." 

He strolled confidently up to me and grabbed me. Before I could resist, he fierily kissed me. I wished I could have stopped. But we didn't. Thankfully, though, the door was locked.

A/N: There you go. Hope y'all like it. R/R, ~Nelli~


	3. Nightmares and Living Dreams

A/N: So, someone wanted me to update this story…and I thought I'd try it…but unfortunately, I don't know what I'm going to write…so, bear with me!

**Chapter Three: Nightmares and Living Dreams**

I woke up in a cold sweat. It was the middle of the night and I had been having nightmares all night long. You would think after the afternoon I'd had, I'd be sleeping like a baby. However, it wasn't Ryan I was thinking about; it was Charlie.

We hadn't spoken in ten years; hell, I gave up hockey because of him. I had wanted to go to USC, but when I found out that Charlie had signed a letter of intent there, I went clear across the country to Princeton. I gave up hockey after a year, so we would never have the possibility of running into each other. I started going by my mom's middle name for a few years, to keep off the radar.

My plans worked: Charlie lost contact with me. I thought I was safe, so I went back to my real name. I even thought of picking up hockey again. And now Charlie was back in my life. Guess that my great plan didn't work so well after all.

And now I was his personal body guard? What the hell? How did he find me? How could I get out of it? Ryan didn't seem to be into changing her mind; at least not about work. About me, that was another story.

I smiled wolfishly. The afternoon had been priceless. _We had been in her office for a few hours when Ilene timidly knocked on the door and told us there was a meeting about Charlie's security detail. Ryan shoved me off of her and straightened her skirt. Her hair was all mussed up and her make-up was smeared. She looked beautiful. _

_She looked in the mirror by the door. "Dammit Banks!" She ran her hands through her hair while I stood up, buttoning up my shirt. "Never again, understand?" She pointed her finger at my face. _

_I licked it and grinned at her. "So you say." I retied my tie. _

_Ryan closed her eyes, looking as if to gain back patience. She straightened my tie and looked me up and down. "Well, at least one of us doesn't look like we just had sex." She shrugged and led the way to the conference room._

Thinking back on the afternoon made me so happy. She had straightened my tie; it was a typical girlfriend move. But that made me think of her ex; they had just broken up. Maybe she was just rebounding. I knew one thing: I didn't want to be a filler until the next relationship came along.

I turned on the bedside lamp and picked up my cell phone. I had her number in my phone now; she had given it to me in case of an emergency. Well, this was an emergency, right?

I waited for her to pick up the line. She had one of those playback ringers that play music for the caller while they wait. It was a Def Leppard song. I had to smile. Only Ryan would put that song as her playback.

"Hello?" A groggy voice asked.

"Hi beautiful," I whispered into the receiver.

There was a pause then a groan. "Banks? Do you know what time it is?"

I looked at my alarm clock. "Oh, about 2:56 am."

I could picture her rolling her eyes. "That was a rhetorical question to imply why the hell you are calling me."

"I had a nightmare about Conway. He was tying me up in a leaky basement to use me for his personal pleasure."

I could hear Ryan fighting giggles. "And this is my problem because?"

I smiled into the phone. "Admit it Ryan. You know you want to be the one who ties me up in a leaky basement to use for your personal pleasure."

"Yeah, I would love to tie you up and beat you to a bloody pulp." Her voice was returning to its original annoyance. "Is that all?"

"Can I come see you?" I was losing her fast and I thought I might as well just throw it out there.

"Really?" She sighed. "We have work in a few hours. And I personally don't want to go again."

It was my turn to laugh. "I just want to talk. I swear."

"4509 Irving St, apartment 314. If you're not here in thirty minutes, you're sleeping outside and talking to a trash can." And she hung up.

I dressed quickly and ran down the stairs, not bothering to take the elevator. It was freezing out, but there was no time to get a taxi. Besides, Irving was only a good fifteen blocks away. I could make it; if I ran.

I made it to her apartment building with two minutes to spare. Huffing and puffing, I buzzed her apartment number. I was buzzed in. I ran to the stairwell and took the flights two steps at time. I got to her door right at the thirty minute mark. She opened the door and glared at me. "You were almost left in the cold."

I smiled and bent over to catch my breath. "Good thing I'm a fast runner."

She crossed her arms across her chest: she was wearing a fuzzy pink bathrobe and had bare feet. She looked me over as I tried to catch my breath. "Need some water or something?"

Huffing, I nodded. "Got a beer?"

She ushered me in and went to where I assumed the kitchen was. I collapsed on her couch, still catching my breath. She returned, two Bud Lights in her hands. She handed one to me and collapsed onto a chair nearby.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Ryan took a swig of her beer and snuggled up in the chair, pulling her feet under her.

"Could you please come sit over here? I feel weird with you over there." I patted the couch next to me.

She shook her head, sending her curls flying in every direction. "Nope, I think I'll stay here. Now talk, or get ready to embrace the cold." She glanced at me. "With no coat?"

I grinned and took a swig of my beer. "I was in a hurry."

"Obviously."

"Could you please find it in your heart to take me off of the Conway case?" I leaned forward and stared straight into her eyes.

Her eyes were almost closed in exhaustion. "What did he do to you anyway?"

I sighed. "Look, we just had some issues. He liked me, I didn't like him. Then I deserted him at college so he'd leave me alone. And now he's back."

"If you're afraid that a National Hockey League player, who has a boyfriend by the way, will jump you if you do your job, then maybe you should find another profession." She opened her eyes and looked at me. "In this line of work, we always deal with whack jobs." With that she stood up and stretched. "And now I'm heading to bed. You're more than welcome to crash on the couch. Blankets are in that closet."

I stood up and jumped in front of her. "Why can't I sleep next to you?"

She shook her head. "Oh, no. I'm not in the mood to make hanky panky."

I laughed and placed my arms around her. "I promise I'll be good. Please?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm never going to get rid of you, am I?"

I tapped her nose gently with my finger. "Probably not."

Her face broke into a bright smile. "All right, fine. It's weird sleeping alone anyway."

She took my hand and led me to her room. The bed was a four-poster number with a huge homemade quilt on it. It was very homey.

She glanced at me. "No comments. My grandpa made the bed and my grandma made the quilt. They were supposed to be wedding gifts, but they've kinda given up hope."

"No, I like it. It suits you." I put my arms around her from behind. "Sexy and homey."

She smiled at me and placed her hands on mine. "You're kinda cute when I'm sleepy." She pulled away and went to the closet. "I have this pair of pj bottoms that should fit you. They're these plaid ones I got at the men's department." She threw them at me and climbed into bed.

I threw on the pjs and walked to the other side of the bed. I climbed under the quilt and put my hands behind my head. And then the best thing happened: Ryan rolled over and snuggled into me.

I glanced down at her and she was looking up at me. "What's up?"

"Don't get used to this, Banks. I'm not the type." And then she closed her eyes.

_We'll see_, I thought as I put my arm around her and fell asleep.

A/N: Is this moving too fast? I mean, there's this instant attraction, obviously. And there's their professional relationship…but am I moving the personal too fast? I mean, Adam wants it. And a girl can only fight an attractive guy so long. But…AM I DOING OKAY?! r/r…thanks


	4. Sharing Breakfast and the Car

**Chapter 4: Sharing Breakfast and the Car **

I woke up and realized I was lying exceptionally close to Banks. My eyes popped open wide and I slid across the bed. The movements woke him up, and he looked at me from half-opened eyes. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he rolled over to fill the space between us. I shifted uncomfortably.

Good morning, beautiful. Howd you sleep? Banks nuzzled his nose against my cheek affectionately.

Good, I answered quickly. You?

I slept great. He gently kissed my cheek.

I pulled away, disguising it as rolling to look at the clock. Oh, geez. Its seven. We have an hour to get to work. I hopped out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Just help yourself to whatevers in the fridge and Ill be out as soon as Im done in the shower.

Banks sat up, letting my quilt fall off his upper body and onto his lap. Want any help? His eyes filled with passionate desire.

I chuckled nervously. Um, no. I think I should shower alone. Be out in a few minutes. I closed the door behind me, and for added protection, locked it. I leaned back against the door, and let out a sigh. I was letting it escalate too far. I liked Banks, but I was just getting out of a serious relationship. I needed time to be single and decide what I wanted from a relationship before hopping into another one.

I turned on the hot water and watched my reflection in the mirror as I waited for the shower to heat up. It was obvious that Banks was seriously into me, regardless of the fact that the whole thing started as a one night stand for a pick-me-up. I ran a brush through my disastrous hair, calming the wild curls into soft waves. I stripped out of my clothes and hopped into the steaming hot water, letting it cascade down my back and work the stress out of my shoulders. I washed and dried quickly, wrapping a towel around myself as I unlocked the door to go change.

Banks wasnt in bed anymore, so I assumed he was in, getting something to eat. I dashed to my closet and pulled out the nearest outfit, changing quickly. The soft, black sweater and black slacks accentuated my curves and cleavage; it wasnt enough to look trampy at work, but it was enough to make me wonder if Banks would try jumping me before we left. I sighed_I cant win for losing_.

I walked out into the living room, observing Banks scrambling around the kitchen. I smiled, realizing how much I was actually enjoying having company in the morning. I sidled up to the counter and leaned over it. Whatcha doing?

Banks turned at the sound of my voice, and his eyes instantly raked over the top portion of my body, chest and all. His smile was lazy and I could almost see what he wanted to do unfold in between us. You look beautiful, he muttered, his voice low in his throat. I shot him a warning look and he took the hint. Ok, Ill be good. Jeez, youre boring now that I know you. What happened to the sexy woman who jumped me in my apartment?

I rolled my eyes. You didnt answer my question.

Just then, the toaster popped. Banks turned back around and pulled an English muffin out and buttered it lightly. He handed it to me, along with a cup of coffee. Making breakfast. A little sugar and a dash of vanilla creamer, just like you like it.

I accepted the cup, astonishment on my face. Wed only been working together a day, and he had been paying attention to how I took my coffee. The man never ceased to amaze me. Thank you, I said quietly, sipping the coffee daintily. It was exactly how I liked it, the perfect combination of sweet and bitter. I smiled happily and took a bite of my muffin.

Banks picked up his own coffee cup and took a long pull of the liquid inside; he was easy to remember because he took his black. So, how are we doing this? He leaned on the counter top across from me.

I sighed, not wanting the nice moment to end, but knew we had to work out details. Well, first things first. Do you need to shower? He shook his head. Then, lets go to your place, you can grab some clothes and well head to work. If anyone asks why we arrived together, well tell them I find you on the side of the road and picked you up. I shrugged. It seemed plausible enough.

Banks nodded and slammed the rest of his coffee. I followed suit and grabbed a napkin to put my muffin on, heading for the door. My keys were on a hook by the door and I grabbed them on my way out, shutting the locked door behind us. We took the elevator and once inside, Banks wrapped his arms around me and placed his cheek on top of my head. Usually PDAs gave me the willies: with Pierre, I hadnt even kissed him a lot in public, but with Banks, it just felt natural. I figured Id be fighting it enough later, why use up all my energy now? I let my body relax into his and enjoyed the ride down to the parking garage.

When we got off the elevator, I started off toward my red Camry and Banks grabbed my empty hand so he wouldnt get lost. It felt warm against mine and made me smile. I felt like a kid in high school all over again and it was kind of nice. My smile faded when he didnt let go of my hand and followed me to the drivers side.

I let no one drive my car, I grumbled, looking up at him.

Banks laughed and tapped my nose. Do you let guys open the door for you? He reached over and clicked the unlock button on my remote, then held open the door for me.

Pleasantly surprised, I slid behind the wheel and started the vehicle, waiting patiently for him to get in. He buckled his seat belt and we headed out the door into the early morning light. We had just enough time to pull up outside his building so he could rush up and change. I finished my muffin while I waited, then began to impatiently drum my fingers on the steering wheel. He appeared a few minutes later, emerging from the building in khaki slacks and a nice button down shirt, a tie lose around his neck. He got in and turned toward me expectantly, the ends of the tie held out to me. I sighed and reached over, tying quickly and straightening it as best as I could.

Thanks, Ryan. His smile was tender and I bit my lip, trying to fight the urge to call him honey or something equally stupid. I put the car back into drive and bolted for the office.

We locked the doors behind us, entering the building to find it almost deserted. Banks followed me back to my office, entering the door after me. He sat down on the usual corner he took and looked at me. You wanna go for lunch today? My treat if you drive.

I sighed and turned to look at him; I was sighing a lot lately, as if I knew Id lose every disagreement we had. I braced myself against the desk and stared straight into his deep blue eyes. I dont think thats the best idea. I dont want us to appear too friendly, especially since everyone knows you wanted this job. I gestured to the office.

Look, Ryan, I dont care what everyone else thinks about us. We know the truth. We fool around a little bit, sure. But we also worked well together yesterday, right? I had to nod; Banks and I had the same professionalism when it came to clients and their safety. So whats the big deal? Im not asking you to be my girlfriend or anything. I know you just got out of a really serious relationship. I couldnt help but notice the fury in his eyes at the mention of Pierre; whoa, I think Banks liked him less than I did. He walked around the desk and sat in front of me, his hands resting softly on my waist. I just am curious to see where this goes. His voice was a whisper. Cant we do that?

I bit my lower lip and stared into those blue eyes. They were soft, but passionate, and there were laugh lines around the corners of them. It would be so easy to fall in love with themand with the sweet guy they belonged to. I think that scared me more than anything, even getting shot. But I couldnt deny that part of me was curious to see what was happening between us. So, I swallowed my doubts and fears and flashed him a huge grin. Alright, fine. Ill go to lunch with you. Now get out of here. Impulsively, I kissed his nose softly.

Banks smiled at me, all worry gone from his face. He stood up and walked out the door. As soon as he left, I melted into my seat, placing a hand on either side of my face. Oh, Lordy, what am I getting myself into


	5. Lunch Date

Chapter 5: Lunch Date

I walked briskly back to Ryan's office. I'd sounded pretty convincing that morning, and I hoped she still thought it was a good idea to see where this might go, but with her you never know. I walked through the open door and stood in front of her desk, a smile on my lips and my hands in my pockets. She was busy at the computer, typing out God knows what, not even bothering to look up at me while I stood there.

"Just one more second, Banks, and I'll be ready to go." Her fingers flew over the keys rapidly and then she pressed the enter key. She looked up at me. "Ready?"

I nodded, removing my hands from my pockets. "If you are."

She smiled and stood up, stretching her long arms quickly. Then she grabbed the purse she had had this morning and headed out the door in front of me. She pushed the elevator button and I leaned on the wall beside her, observing her as she ruffled through her bag for her keys.

"Is there any particular reason you're staring at me?" She found her keys and placed them in her hand for easier access.

"Just watching. Not staring." I smiled and fought the urge to touch her. Contrary to what I'd said earlier, I did care what everyone in the office thought and I wanted our relationship at work to be professional, even though I really did want to kiss her. "Is there some place in particular you want to go?"

She shrugged and stepped through the elevator doors. "Bud's has a decent menu. I looked at it the other day before you showed up. And we have history there. Could be a nice first date spot." She smiled flirtatiously at me, but it looked more evil than anything. She knew we couldn't really be alone there with all the people who would recognize us from work. She was trying to make me crazy.

"Are you sure?" I mumbled. I was feeling less excited by the minute and was actually starting to wish I hadn't asked her to lunch at all.

She laughed and slipped her fingers through mine, making me jump. "Oh, you silly boy, I know you don't want to go there. People will recognize us. There's a nice little pizza place a couple blocks over that's never very busy. We can go there."

"Sounds great." I knew the place she was talking about. It was darker than most places, like a bar, but held little appeal for the people we worked with. We could eat there and talk about us. Perfect.

"Don't get too excited, though. I got some new information on the Conway case and we'll need to discuss it a little bit. Just as a cover, in case someone notices." She looked up at me sympathetically. "I know talking about Charlie is the last thing you want to do, but it'll look better until we figure this out."

I nodded and held open her door, and then went to the passenger side of the vehicle, getting inside. I put on my seatbelt and was silent as she drove down the streets to the restaurant, parking right outside. She let herself out before I could get to her and ran around the car, taking my hand when she reached me. Her smile was sweet and carefree, like she had forgotten all about work and we were on a legitimate date. It was more than I could hope for.

A waitress led us to a small table in the back of the practically empty room, handing us some menus and taking our drink order. I could feel Ryan's foot lightly touching mine under the table and I smirked to myself.

"Footsie? Really?" I whispered to her, looking over the open menu in front of me.

"Well, no one can see it, so we won't have to explain it." She shrugged and read down the inside of the menu. "Ooh, stromboli. I love that!" She looked up at me, her eyes wide. "Wanna share? I can't eat one that big by myself."

I smiled at her. "If that's what you want. I was looking at calzones, though."

Ryan wrinkled her nose. "Don't get that. My homemade ones are so much better. If you split a stromboli with me, I'll make you a calzone this weekend for dinner."

"Like a date?" I pressed, my breath caught in my throat.

She looked up at me, her cheeks covered in a pale flush. "Sure. Like a date."

"Can you make cheesecake too? Because if you can make cheesecake, I'm asking you to marry me."

Ryan laughed and put down the menu. "I can make it, but you don't have to propose to get it! I'll make you some this weekend, too."

She was full of surprises. I closed my menu and placed it on top of hers, waiting for the waitress to return. "What kind of toppings do you want?"

"Pepperoni, green peppers, extra cheese?" She looked thoughtful for a moment. "And maybe some sausage too. Sound okay?"

I nodded and the waitress returned, placing a beer in front of me and an iced tea in front of Ryan. I ordered for us and the girl walked away to place it.

"You know, you're really old-fashioned."

I looked back to Ryan, my hands folded together on the table in front of me. "Is that a bad thing?"

She shrugged. "Not yet. Holding doors and ordering for girls is kind of chivalrous. It's nice to know it's not really dead." She stirred her iced tea with her straw. "Should we get business out of the way before we continue?"

I sighed exasperatedly. "Yeah, I suppose."

She opened her purse and pulled out a manila file. Opening it, she handed me a sheet of paper. Another letter. This one was very graphic with exactly what the stalker wanted to do with Charlie; it reminded me eerily of the dream I'd had at my apartment the night before.

"Still no DNA?"

"Actually, there was something. A partial print on the envelope. It matches a few leads we're following now." She handed me a list with half a dozen names on it. "Anything pop out at you?"

I recognized one name on the list. "Rick Riley?" I looked up at Ryan. "From Minnesota?"

Ryan shuffled through some papers. "Riley comma Richard K, thirty years old. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota." She looked up at me. "You know him?"

"He was the captain of the varsity hockey team at the prep school Charlie and I went to. He hated us." I handed the list back to Ryan. I watched as she highlighted Riley's name. "Is he in the DC area now?"

"Well, Charlie doesn't live around here. He lives in Pennsylvania, since he plays for the Penguins. Riley's last known address-" she flipped back through the papers "-was in Pittsburgh." She looked up at me. "Sounds like a pretty good hunch. Nice job." She closed the folder and put it away. Then she reached over and grabbed my hand. "Just for that, I'll take you off guard duty. I'll put Mendes on it."

I smiled. "Thank God."

Our food came and we started picking at it, one fork on each end. I took a bite and chewed. When I'd swallowed, I asked, "You mentioned something about brothers the other day. How many siblings do you have?"

Ryan put her hand in front of her mouth and spoke with it full. "I have two older brothers and a younger one." She swallowed. "My dad was a cop, my eldest brother is a cop, the second oldest is a firefighter, and my younger brother just finished a tour of duty with the Marines."

My eyes popped open. "That's a little intimidating."

Ryan laughed. "You're a detective. Surely a couple civil servants and a Marine don't scare you?"

I shook my head. "If you say so. It must have been hell bringing boyfriends home."

Ryan shrugged. "I guess. I was always one of the guys, so I didn't worry about boyfriends too much. If they could handle me, they could handle my family." She looked up from the food she'd been staring at. "What about you? Siblings scare off any prospective girlfriends for you?"

"Nah, I just have one older brother, who's a doctor." I chewed another bite. "My family's pretty normal."

"So why no girlfriends?" Ryan's eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"I was too busy for one. I mean, I went on dates and stuff, but I just was never interested in anything serious. Hockey was more important. Then school was more important. Then work was more important." I sighed. "Now, I'm kind of at a loss. I'm lonely and I want someone to share my life with."

Ryan was silent while we finished eating and paid the bill. Eventually she looked up at me and smiled. "I can't promise that I'm _the person_ you're supposed to share your life with, but I'll be a really good friend to have." She kissed my cheek.

"That's enough, for now." We rode back to the office in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts.


	6. Alone Time

Chapter 6: Alone Time

I snuggled deeper onto the sofa, my feet curled up under me. It had been a couple of days since Banks and I went to the pizza place and since we had had our little talk, he hadn't been as pushy to become a part of my life. He'd walk me to my car at work, call me before bed, and bring me refills on coffee throughout the day. I still couldn't decide if it was really how he acted, or if it was just to keep my interest, like most guys did. We'd have to see.

A couple of days of alone time at home had been really refreshing. I watched episodes of my favorite shows that I had DVRed, and finished a book I'd been dying to read. All in all a pleasant experience. But I missed Banks, a lot. It was weird sleeping alone again, even if we'd only slept together two nights in a row. I sighed and stood up, collecting the empty bowl I'd filled with popcorn from the coffee table and went into the kitchen.

I placed the bowl in the dishwasher, then leaned back against the counter. I was starting to get bored. The movie I was watching wasn't holding my interest and I really wanted to know if I needed to start making dough for calzones or not. After all, it was Saturday and I had offered to make him dinner. I tapped my fingers on the counter top, then grabbed the bread machine out of a cabinet. I could always freeze the dough if Banks didn't stop by.

I quickly added the water, olive oil, flour, salt and yeast into the compartment, then selected the dough setting and pressed start. In an hour and a half I'd have some fresh dough to roll out and my mind would be occupied once again. Until then, I had to try to get Banks off my mind.

A knock at my door made me jump. I wasn't expecting anyone, but I shrugged and answered it anyway, adjusting my sweats as I walked. I opened the door and there stood a very disheveled Adam Banks. His shirt was untucked and ruffled, his pants had wrinkles, and his tie hung limply around his neck. He was leaning against the door jamb, looking exhausted.

"Hey, you," I murmured, smiling at him. "I was just thinking about you."

Banks looked up and through his exhaustion, the spark of desire lit up his eyes. "Really? I've been thinking about you all damn day." In an instant, he was through the door and his arms were around me. His lips pressed hungrily to mine and I nearly dissolved in his arms. After a few heated minutes, he pulled away and shut the door. "Sorry I didn't call first. I just got off a double-shift setting up perimeters and such at Conway's. I was wondering if we could have our date tonight, preferably before I fall asleep."

"Who sent you to Conway's?" I had been good to my word and took him off that particular case, so needless to say I was puzzled.

"Tammie. I told her you took me off, but she insisted I go." He sighed and headed toward the kitchen, grabbing a beer from my fridge and taking a huge swig. "Apparently, Charlie didn't appreciate you sending Mendes instead of me and he threw a fit until I got reassigned."

My eyebrows furrowed in anger. "She can't do that. It's my case. I decide who does what. And as for Mr. Conway…" I let out a few choice expletives and unclenched my fists, not realizing how tightly they were balled up.

Banks smiled at my language, raising one eyebrow. "Pretty territorial, huh?" He leaned back against the counter, finally noticing the bread machine. His interest piqued.

"Dough. For calzones. If you leave the kitchen, I'll get started on the cheesecake. You can go sit down, relax, watch some TV and I'll be out in a few minutes."

Banks looked relieved. "You want some help?"

I shook my head. "I used to cook for four men. I think I can handle dinner for you and me. Go sit."

Banks kissed my forehead. "I could get used to this. Better not make it a habit, or you'll really never get rid of me."

I laughed and smacked his behind, shooing him out of my space. Then I got to work on the cheesecake. It wouldn't take long, but I wanted it to chill before we ate. I finished the graham cracker crust and scooped out the filling of cream cheese. I had some frozen raspberry topping in the freezer and pulled it out to thaw. Then I checked the timer and went back to the living room.

Banks was lying on the sofa I'd left, his eyes closed. I smiled and went over to him, covering him with a nearby blanket. As I was tucking it around his arms, his eyes opened slowly. I watched his face crack into a sleepy smile.

"Hi," he murmured, his arms coming around me from under the blanket, pulling me on top of him.

"Hi." I snuggled onto him, placing my cheek on his chest. "Want me to let you sleep for a while?"

"No. If I go to sleep, I won't wake up until tomorrow morning. Just stay with me for a little while." His arms tightening.

"Well, I finished the cheesecake and it's chilling. Dough should be done soon. What would you like in your calzone?"

"What we had in the stromboli would be good. Plus some mushrooms, if you have any."

I wrinkled my nose. I hated mushrooms, but I think I had a can of them in the pantry. "Okay, I'll play with mushrooms, but only for you. I hate them."

I could feel him chuckling quietly. Then, the movement of his chest slowed and I could feel his breathing get deeper. I looked up and his eyes were closed again. I smiled softly at him, running a finger along his cheek. "I'll wake you up soon," I promised, kissing his cheek gently. Then, slowly, I climbed off of him and went back to the kitchen to finish making dinner. Letting him take a little nap wouldn't hurt, and then he'd be awake enough to enjoy my cooking, which was in general pretty good.

I bustled around, gathering the pizza sauce and fillings he wanted, then looked down at myself. How could he still want me in my ratty sweats and holy t-shirt? I scrambled past the couch, where Banks was snoring quietly, then entered my bedroom. I had a pretty satin nightie that was longer with thin straps. It was in pink, which looked good on me. I pulled it over my head, and let my hair down. It was curling pretty decently today. I swiped on some liner and mascara, which made me look good but not like I was trying too hard.

Then I went back to work on dinner, anxious to wake Banks up and get on with our evening.


	7. Labels

7. Labels

I woke up to the smell of pizza and the sound of a timer. I stretched my arms over my head and sat up on the sofa. It was nearly seven o'clock; I'd been out for a couple of hours, but I felt refreshed, which was nice. I loosened my tie and took it off, and unbuttoned my shirt, leaving it open to reveal my white tank top. I couldn't see Ryan nearby and it was making me crazy, not knowing where she was. Then the timer stopped going off, and I assumed Ryan had been the one to shut it off.

I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame. She was bustling around the kitchen, topping the calzones with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. They were huge and golden brown and they smelled wonderful. A cheesecake covered in raspberry topping was sitting on the counter. I took in her appearance: hair curling around her shoulders, a tight little satin nightie clinging to her curves, her pretty eyes focused on what she was doing.

"Like I said, I could get used to this," I murmured, walking up behind her. I nuzzled into her neck, kissing her skin softly. "Dinner smells great." I bit her earlobe playfully. "Dessert looks better."

"Yeah, the cheesecake turned out well," she said, leaning back into me.

"I was talking about you, silly." My arms wrapped around her, squeezing her tightly.

She slipped away, pulling plates out of a nearby cabinet. "Why don't we eat first and see what happens later."

I frowned, but accepted the plate she handed to me. "Fine."

She loaded my plate with half of my calzone and handed me a fork. I went to the dining room table and set my things down, waiting for her to enter behind me, so I could pull out her chair. I'd been brought up a gentleman, and I still liked to do things like that. I'm sure she thought I was too good to be true, but I wanted to be sweet and respectful. She seemed surprised as I helped her into her chair, pushing her up to the table. I sat and took a bite of dinner.

"Ohmigod, you're a great cook." I cut another piece and shoved it in my mouth.

She smiled. "Thank you. I like to cook. And it's nice to have someone appreciate it."

I ate quickly, enjoying the taste of the home-cooked meal. She was looking at me intently. "What?" I asked, mouth full.

"Just wondering if you are all you seem to be." She shrugged. "You're so nice, and polite, and I can't decide if you're like that for real, or if you're just doing it to make me interested."

I put down my fork reluctantly and cleared my throat. "I thought you might be wondering that. I'm usually very polite. My parents brought me up to mind my manners and be courteous to women. I may not do it all the time, but I'll do it more often than I won't."

She nodded and took another bite. "I see."

I smiled softly. "What about you? Are you always going to cook? And dress sexy?"

She flushed. "Like you I don't think it'll always happen, but more often than not. I want to look nice for you. I like cooking for you. It's nice to have someone appreciate my hard work." She glanced down at her hands and peeked up at me from under her long lashes.

"Pierre didn't?" I didn't want to bring him up, but I was curious.

"Pierre was more stuck-up than anyone else I have ever met. He only wanted to eat five-star restaurant cuisine. My home cooking wasn't good enough. Which is one of the reasons we split up. I want someone who appreciates my cooking."

I grinned up at her. "I appreciate it." I took a big bite off my fork to emphasis my point.

She laughed. "And I thank you."

I fidgeted in my seat. "Are we going to…" I couldn't think of the words to get across my point.

"Going to?" She looked at me quizzically.

I sighed. "Going to decide what this is between us?"

"I thought we were just seeing where it goes?" She didn't sound frustrated; her voice was quiet.

"I know. But I really care about you and I want to be with you." I put my elbows on the table and leaned my head into my open palms, running my fingers through my hair. "When I got out of Conway's, all I could think is, 'I wanna go home' and I came here. I need to know how you are. I force myself to only call before bed so I don't annoy you. I feel comfortable here with you and, to be honest, I sleep better when I'm next to you." I looked up at her, to see if she understood me at all. Her pretty eyes were locked on mine and there was a sweet smile on her face.

"I missed sleeping next to you the last few nights. I like my alone time, don't get me wrong, but I missed you next to me." She sighed and looked down. "I know we've only known each other like a week, but I feel closer to you than I've felt to anyone. I don't think this is a rebound…I think this could be a real relationship." She looked back up at me. "I want to be your girlfriend, I think."

My heart soared. "My girlfriend?" I stood up, closed the distance between us and grabbed her up in my arms. "That's the best news I've had all day." I adjusted her in my arms and started off to the bedroom. "You're done eating, right?"

She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "For now." She rubbed her nose up and down my cheek. "We can always have some cheesecake after we fool around."

We tumbled onto the bed and fell into each other's arms. I had never had a girlfriend, but I could sense that this was going somewhere farther than just a few months of dating. I wanted her to be my wife, but I wouldn't tell her that, not yet. That would just scare her.

After some intense lovemaking, we curled up in each other's arms. Her head was on my chest and I ran my fingers through her long hair. "Ryan, do you think it's too soon to move in together?"

She was quiet as she ran her hands along my arm. After a few moments, she spoke. "Normally, I would say it was too soon. But I mean, it makes sense. We have to work together and if we spend the night together, we'll have to shower in the same space and we'll have to get dressed in the same space." She pulled her head up, resting her chin on my chest and looking at me. "My lease would be easy to change because this apartment is meant for two people. Would you like to move in here?"

I kissed her forehead. "Yes, but only if you're okay with it."

She smiled and laid her head back down. "I'm fine with it. I'll talk to the super tomorrow. Get you a key." She yawned and sat up, stretching. "Want some cheesecake?"

She looked beautiful in the pale light of the moon streaming through the curtains, her skin still naked. I leaned up on my elbow. "That sounds great."

"'Kay." She kissed my nose and went to the kitchen.

I put my head back down on the pillow, my arms up and supporting my head. _I can get so used to this…_


	8. Moving Day Drama

8. Moving Day Drama

The week had gone by in a blur. Needless to say, all of our co-workers knew something was going on between us; we were always coming in together, leaving together, laughing with one another, and I think Irene caught us kissing at the elevator. What started as a hate relationship had blossomed into a deep love and mutual respect. It was wonderful.

Saturday was the day we determined as the best move-in day. We talked to Tammie and had her remove Adam from the rotation at Conway's house for the weekend, telling her the truth. She was surprised, but she smiled, happy that we were getting along _so _well, instead of at each other's throats all the time. She told us Conway would blow a gasket, but some things come first, so he would have to deal.

I got up that day, utterly excited to be getting a new roommate who I got along with so wonderfully and who I could easily share my space with. My super had been happy for me too; she told me that a pretty woman such as myself should not be living alone and that having a man move-in with me was the best news she'd had in weeks. She was a sweet woman and I made her some sugar-free brownies as a thank you.

My apartment had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. We decided to share the master suite; what was the point in setting Adam up in the guest room if he'd be in my bed at night anyway? We turned the second bedroom into a home office, with space for both of our computers and equipment. I went to his small apartment with him and we went through everything, deciding what kinds of appliances and such that we needed and what could be stored in my storage unit in the basement. Most of the stuff I had already had in excellent condition so we stored a lot of it. I loaded his clothes and linens into cartons and loaded them into the backseat.

The packing didn't take long and then unpacking took even less time. We were laughing and talking, the excitement of the day clear on both of our faces. The only thing I couldn't talk him into putting into storage was this God-awful painting he seemed to love, but since it was going to be his place too, I couldn't very well tell him to not put it up. I wanted him to be happy and have the apartment feel like his home, too, so I reluctantly agreed to let him put it up.

We were unloading the last of the boxes when someone let out a string of profanities not five feet from me. I looked up, my hair up in a messy ponytail so I had to brush some hair out of my face, to see Charlie Conway glowering at me from the steps. I smiled politely, remembering he was a client. Adam nearly dropped the box he was carrying, his face pale and clearly unhappy.

"What the fuck is going on? Where the fuck have you been, Banksy? I thought you were fucking professionals, but you just leave your clients hanging whenever you fucking feel like it, huh?" He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression darkening with every word.

I placed my box back in the trunk and walked over to him calmly. "Is there a problem, Mr. Conway?"

He turned on me, his face sinister and cruel. "You bitch. Why can't you mind your own damn business? You're just using him, aren't you? You slut." He spit at me.

My eyes narrowed as Adam yelled "Hey!" The outrage in his voice startled me and in an instant, he was between me and Charlie. He was glaring daggers at Charlie and his fists were clenched. "Look, Charlie, I don't know who you think you are, but just because you hired our firm doesn't mean you have exclusive rights to me."

"I could have you fired if I wanted to, Banks. But I don't," his voice and eyes softened as he stared at his old friend. "I've missed you. And you look better than ever…so tough, so strong," his voice filled with longing, which I didn't like one bit. Then his attention snapped back to me. "But this little tramp has your mind clouded. You need to get rid of her before she ruins you. Come back with me to my place and we'll talk."

Adam closed his eyes and counted quietly to ten. When he opened them, there was a fierce resolve in his eyes. "I'm transferring off your case for good, Charlie. Bitch to my superior all you want, but I can't handle this. I don't have the same feelings for you as you do for me. I love Ryan and I always will. Nothing you can say or do will change that. And if you can't handle that, I recommend you change security providers."

Charlie looked livid. "Fine. Have it your way. But when she leaves your ass," he pointed at me. "I don't want to hear it." He stormed off down the street and hopped into a waiting car.

I looked up at Adam; he was shaking in rage. "Are you okay?"

He turned toward me, his body visibly relaxing. He smiled softly. "I've been wanting to tell him off for years. So yeah, I'm great." He kissed my cheek and took a deep breath. "Let's get the last two boxes upstairs and get something to eat."

I smiled at him. "I have some leftover stuffed chicken breasts from last night I could heat up."

"Sounds wonderful. And then a nice hot shower…" his voice trailed off as his hands caressed my body. His breath was warm on my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. "I'll help you wash your back."

I giggled. "Oh, I bet you will." I pulled reluctantly away and turned to go back to the car. I stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed a man leaning against a Vespa parked right behind my Camry. He had his helmet in his hand and a sardonic look on his face. His dark hair came down into a goatee that framed his full lips. "What do you want?"

"I 'ave missed you, Ryan," his French accent purred, as he looked up at Banks. "Although, I do not think you 'ave missed me as much."

Adam came up behind me and placed a hand on my arm territorially. I liked the reinforcements, even if it was more a possessive move. I sank back into him, letting his strength support me. He glared at the man. "I believe the lady asked you a question."

"Oh, forgive my rudeness. I 'ave come back for Ryan. I realize I made a mistake and I want 'er back." He smiled at us. "But I see I am too late."

I swallowed roughly. This was hard; I knew he had hurt me, that he didn't appreciate me, didn't really care for me or my needs. It was just sex with Pierre…years of it. Then I felt Adam's fingers intertwine with mine and my confidence returned. "What in the world makes you think I'd even _entertain _the idea of taking you back? You're rude, conceited, arrogant, egotistical, and a selfish lover. You don't appreciate me or what I do. Adam," I gestured at him over my shoulder. "Cares about only me and what I want and need. He truly loves me. So why don't you hop back on your bike and drive away. You're so good at leaving. Adieu."

I walked over to the Camry, handed Adam his box, grabbed mine, and slammed the trunk. Then I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving Pierre in a daze and Adam, grinning, was on my heels. We got in the elevator and I looked at him, returning his smile. "Want a beer?"

"Yeah, after that drama, I think a beer sounds great." He kissed my cheek and waited for our floor to open up.

"I think about six sounds good…" We looked at each other and laughed in relief. We sounded like idiots to our neighbors, but the encounters of the afternoon had left us extremely silly and laughing was a great way to let off the nerves…


	9. When Forgiving is the Wrong Thing to do

Chapter 9: When Forgiving is the Wrong Thing to do…

Monday morning, I went into the office, hoping to transfer off Charlie's case for good. Ryan had had errands to run in regards to another client, so I entered the office alone. The rest of the weekend, after the Charlie/Pierre disaster, had gone amazingly well; we liked a lot of the same TV shows, and Ryan was true to her word about loving to cook, since she made me breakfast, lunch, and dinner Sunday, as long as I did the dishes afterward.

I dropped my stuff off in my office and took a deep breath, readying myself for a fight with Tammie. Charlie was our most prestigious client and losing him would be awful for the firm but I didn't know what else to do; it was obvious he was still stalking me, still holding delusions of us together. It had to stop. Just as I was getting ready to enter her office, my cell phone dinged in my pocket; a text from Ryan appeared, wishing me good luck, and signed with a heart. I smiled back at it and returned the phone to my pocket without switching it to silent, knocked on the door in front of me, and entered when asked to do so.

"Tammie, I need-"

"Adam, just the person we needed to see," Tammie smiled and stood up. There was someone sitting in front of her desk, but I didn't need to see the person's face to know it was Charlie. "Mr. Conway has something he'd like to say to you. I'll just leave you two alone."

My eyes pleaded with my superior to stay but she smiled encouragingly at me and pulled me out of the doorway, leaving the room and shutting the door behind her. I watched Charlie stand up, rocking back and forth on his heels, his hands in his pockets. He looked sheepish and guilty. I was hesitant to relax, so I leaned against a far wall, my arms across my chest and my face clear of emotion.

"Banksy, I am so unbelievably sorry." He looked up at me and I could see unshed tears in his eyes. " I went to my shrink immediately after yelling at you the other day and we got to talking and he made me realize that I'm selfish and creepy and if I truly wanted your friendship back, I wouldn't act the way I do." He sighed. "I should be happy that you've found someone so special to you, instead of acting like a jealous ex. I hope you can forgive me."

I shrugged noncommittally. I wasn't sure if I could trust this apology or not. "I guess we'll have to see."

Charlie nodded. "I understand. I really came here today because I'm having issues with my stalker again." Charlie held out an envelope to me. "He killed my cat." Inside were pictures of Charlie's cat, Tiger, decapitated. There was a note, written in the cat's blood, on the floor next to him: You're next, Conway.

I shuddered. "When did this happen? The perimeters were set perfectly! I would have gotten a notification if someone had entered your yard; only standard vehicles were seen entering and exiting, vehicles you okayed."

Charlie shrugged, his face a nervous mess. "I don't know! But I know no one I trust would do this. Besides, they all submitted to lie detector tests and DNA tests. They weren't a match." He hugged himself. "I'm scared, Banksy…I know how I made you feel all those years, now, and I'm so sorry I did!"

Adam smirked. "That's not important right now. What is important is keeping you safe. Let's head over to your house and see what we can find."

**The** drive to Charlie's was uneventful. He felt uncomfortable going alone in his Town car, so I rode with him, asking him simple questions, and keeping the conversation professional. We pulled in after a thirty minute drive. I went straight to the office, where we'd set up our base of operations, and scanned through the surveillance from that weekend. Like I had told him, nothing unusual came up. I was getting ready to go downstairs and ask him for some more information when suddenly there was a sharp pain in the back of my head and everything turned dark.

**I woke** up tied to a pipe hanging from the ceiling in a basement. It was damp and dark, and as far as I knew, I was the only one there. I waited for my eyes to adjust and peered around; there on the other side of the room was a bloody mess of fur…Charlie's cat had been killed down here.

I blinked roughly, my head still in pain, trying to understand what was going on.

"Hello, Banksy." Charlie's voice was quiet, and came from behind me. "How are you feeling?"

I groaned. "You sick son of a bitch. You planned this."

Charlie laughed and walked around me into the light. His face was twisted into a sick smile. "But of course! I've never stopped searching for you, Banksy. Ever since you left me. When I finally found you, thanks to a private investigator and several hundreds of thousands of dollars, I had my agent work out a trade to the closest hockey team. I faked several break-ins to my new home. Wrote several fake letters from a stalker. Filled out numerous police reports. When the local PD couldn't figure it out, I took all the documentation to your offices." His expression grew darker. "I was hoping that if you saw me, realized how badly I needed you, then you would renew our friendship and maybe, just maybe, I could convince you to take that relationship one step further." His look turned to immense rage. "But then that little tart showed up and ruined everything. Let you live in your denial of us. Took you away. Seduced you." He shook his head angrily. "I hate her! But soon she'll be taken care of. She'll forget all about you and I'll be free to keep you."

I laughed hollowly. "First of all, people are going to wonder where I am. Several of my co-workers know how uncomfortable you make me and when I don't return from scoping out your problem, they'll come looking. And nothing you can do will make her leave me."

"Oh, well, I already have that all taken care of." Charlie laughed. "I have someone who almost looks exactly like you heading for your car now. What they don't know is that there is a bomb in your car and as soon as they start it, you'll explode. There was a letter sent to your office…it should be there around the time of the explosion…it says that my stalker is going to kill the lead investigator because he's getting too close. And as for the girl, she'll be so torn by grief, she'll run back to her idiot French lover." His laughter was maniacal at this point. "I finally win."

**I reread** the letter. Then I felt the building shake violently. My eyes opened wide in fear. The stalker hadn't been lying.

I rushed out of my office, taking the stairs and barreling into people as I went. Sure enough, Adam's Toyota was in flames in the parking structure below the building. I screamed and collapsed to my knees. I remembered Tammie coming up and grabbing my arms, having someone help her help me up. They led me back to the offices upstairs, sitting me in the nearest chair they could find; it happened to be right across from his office. He'd left everything there that morning, which was very unlike him. He would have come up to get it before leaving for the day. Hell, he would have come to see me before leaving for the day. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, even in my grief-stricken state.

Standing up, brushing all the worried hands out of my way, I headed toward the surveillance room. I made the man sitting there behind the monitors pull up the camera from the parking garage. We rewound the tape and sat there, watching the last six hours of film. Adam entering the building. Adam leaving with Conway. A man who looked like Adam returning.

"Freeze it." I pointed at a reflection in the car window. "Enhance that." I looked long and hard at the screen. Almost a perfect match, but whoever had done this hadn't planned on me having memorized every contour of Adam's face. "Inform the agents downstairs that the body inside the vehicle is NOT Agent Banks. And send over several to Mr. Conway's house. As far as we know, Agent Banks is still there."


	10. Justice

A/N: Last chapter of this one I think…omg! It's only taken like forever! Lol

Chapter 10: Justice

I was leaving the surveillance room when I ran straight into my exboyfriend. He was holding a bouquet of my favorite flowers, orchids, and had a concerned expression on his face.

"What, Pierre?" I said, rubbing my temples in angst. I did not have time for this.

"I came to give you these, and I 'eard the news about your friend. I am sorry." He reached for my hand and tried to pull it to his lips.

"Ew," I muttered, yanking it away. Realization sparked in my eyes. "How did you hear about my friend?"

"From one of the agents downstairs." He said it like it was common sense.

I grabbed him by the collar, tossing him roughly against a wall. "Try again. Professional security agents would not reveal anything to a civilian. You better start talking." All the while, I was gritting my teeth at him, pressing his collar deeper into his neck, choking him.

"Alright! I will talk!" I let him go and he proceeded to tell me how Charlie had talked to him after seeing me dismiss him the other afternoon; Charlie's plans to kidnap Adam; and how he wanted Pierre to detain me so I wasn't getting in the way. Pierre had been happy to help, seeing as how he wanted me back so badly…but it still cost Charlie $100,000 to get him in on it.

I glared at him. "Did Conway have this whole stalker thing planned before he came to us?"

Pierre nodded, his eyes full of fear of me. "From what I understand, 'e 'as always been playing the part, to get Adam back."

I picked up a nearby receiver and dialed the agent leading the team to Conway's. I told him to be prepared, Conway was considered armed and dangerous, and to look thoroughly through every inch of the house for Agent Banks, as an anonymous tip came through that Conway had been playing us the whole time. I promised the agent I was on my way and disconnected.

"What about us, ma chere?" Pierre held out the smashed flowers to me.

I looked at him in disgust. "There is no us, you son of a bitch. Get out of my office and don't ever come back." With that, I turned on my heel and ran out the door, to my car.

When I arrived at Conway's mansion, cars were pulled all around the yard. Agents and local law enforcement were milling about, and Charlie was standing on the front steps, playing at looking confused. I walked right up to him and punched him in the face. Other agents, who had been speaking to him, grabbed me and held me back.

"You asshole! Where is he? I know that wasn't him and I have a witness to prove it." I struggled against the agents holding me.

Charlie rubbed his cheek, where a pretty bruise was starting to appear. He glared at me. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You lying sack of shit." I jerked away with a swift tug and instead of taking my anger out on the battered hockey star, sped into the house. I started downstairs. The basement was half remodeled, with a lock on a door to the other side. I asked why it hadn't been unlocked and searched.

"That's my gym. That's why." Conway was right behind me.

"I don't give a rat's ass if it's your personal vault. Open the Goddamn door." I snarled at him.

"I still have my rights and I will not without just cause."

I pulled out my phone and checked for a signal, returning my attention to the door. Ever since Banks and I had started dating, we'd left our phones on ringer so we could get messages from each other. I had a weak signal, but a signal none-the-less and began dialing Banks' phone, hoping to prove to the other agents to unlock the door. It rang…right behind me. I whirled around and saw the horror and surprise on Conway's face as I reached into his pocket and took out Banks' phone. "Pretty sure this is just cause."

One of the agents called for bolt cutters and even though Conway persisted with his innocence, we cut the lock off and entered the dank room. There was no gym; but there was a chained man to the back, his head hung in defeat.

"Adam!" I raced toward him and watched the wonder light in his eyes. I looked him over quickly; his head was bloodied, but other than that, he appeared unharmed.

"How did you find me?" He muttered.

"Pierre told me Conway's plan, after I enhanced a reflection from your car window. I knew the man who blew up wasn't you." I hugged him tightly.

"You found me a lot sooner than Charlie anticipated." He chuckled softly.

I raced back to the door and grabbed the bolt cutters again, heading back for Adam and quickly taking care of the handcuffs that bound him to the pipe above his head. I hugged him tightly. "Yeah, well, I'm a lot smarter than he is. I knew you'd come see me before you left for the day. Besides you wouldn't leave all of your personal items in your office if you were leaving either. Very unlike you."

He squeezed me back. "Too true." He looked over my shoulder to where Charlie was standing in the doorway, his hands behind his back, face covered in tears. "He's psychotic. He needs help."

I sighed. "Yes, he does. And he'll get it. Behind bars." I wrapped my arm around his waist and began leading him outside. "Let's get you checked out and get you home to bed."

"Bed sounds good." He smiled sexily down at me.

"Banksy, please, don't give up on us. Tell them it was for us. Please. Don't let them take me!" Charlie was sobbing and begging as we walked past.

Adam stopped, looked his old friend dead in the eye, and said, "I don't forgive you, Charlie. You need help. And I won't rest until you get it and leave me alone for good."

Charlie's sobs increased as he watched us walk away. Once we got outside, someone took our statements, and a nearby EMT looked at Adam's head. No concussion, thank goodness. We watched Charlie Conway get loaded into the back of a police car. Then I pulled Adam by the hand and led him to my car. Home was sounding better all the time…


End file.
